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    Emily Fazio

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Make Watercolor-Inspired Wrapping Paper

March 15, 2016

This post was originally published on DIY Network’s blog Made + Remade in May 2013.

DIY water color gift wrap using RIT dye.

Never mind the store-bought stuff, next time you’re in the market to wrap a special gift, follow this quick tutorial and make the packaging extra pretty. I embraced a simple technique to give a friends’ gift a watercolor-esque flair, and you can do it too. Watercolors are classically beautiful and also refreshingly easy to employ in your DIY projects, and while I’ve never been able to master watercolor painting from a fine art aspect, I do like to embrace them given a creative and hard-to-mess-up opportunity. I’m feeling all sorts of love for shades of purple this spring, as if I’m reverting back to my childhood purple-loving self (the color on the far right? My mom let me paint my bedroom that color!), so that’s the color palette I chose for this project.

a pretty purple palette for a diy project.

Side note: Interested in the colors in the above palette? They’re paint chips from Sherwin-Williams. From left to right:Rhapsody Lilac, Ash Violet, Searching Blue, Grape Harvest, and African Violet. 

With just a few simple materials—an eyedropper, dye of your color choice, water, and matte-finish paper (kraft paper, or, as I use, tissue paper)—you can make your own watercolor-inspired wrapping for a special gift.

DIY water color gift wrap using RIT dye.

Step 1 

With the eyedropper, drip dye directly onto the matte (non-shiny) side of a sheet of tissue paper.

DIY water color gift wrap using RIT dye.

Step 2 

While the dye droplets are still raised, rinse out the eyedropper and re-drip water over every droplet. This will dilute the dye, and once dry, give each dot a watercolor effect.

DIY water color gift wrap using RIT dye.

Step 3 

Continue until all of the dye droplets are covered with water. Starting to see the cool effect?

DIY water color gift wrap using RIT dye.

Step 4

Follow up immediately with an old absorbent rag (emphasis on the old, as you’re about to ruin it with dye), and lightly dab the raised droplets to absorb the excess water and dye. You’ll be left with a watercolor-esque pattern on the tissue paper, and a beautifully dyed towel (which itself would make cute gift wrap).

DIY water color gift wrap using RIT dye.

Step 5 

Once it’s dry, wrap your gift and tie it up with a bow. Use the right ribbon (or in my case, jute!) and consider dip-dyeing the ends to match. Happy gifting!

DIY water color gift wrap using RIT dye.

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Emily
I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. You can find me writing for HGTV and DIY Network, follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

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  • HI, I’m Emily

    Emily Fazio

    I'm a home improvement enthusiast, living a very merry DIY lifestyle. Follow me on facebook and instagram, or drop me a note if you'd like. I love notes.

    Thanks for visiting!

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